Fatehgarh Sahib, March 14
Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, Fatehgarh Sahib, is going to organise a two-day international seminar on “Sri Guru Granth Sahib and Third Millennium Civilisation”.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal will inaugurate the seminar and Chancellor of Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University Avtar Singh Makar would preside over the seminar.

“Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal will also dwell on various issues,” said Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia, Vice-Chancellor, GGS World University.

Experts would deliberate upon “Sikhism and Inter-religious Dialogue”, “Sikh Diaspora: Accommodating Religious Identity With Cultural Identities of Countries of Settlement” and “Correlating Existential Concerns of Sikhs With Universal Concern of Sikhism”. He added that a seminar on “Major Trends in Punjabi Literature Since 1947” will also be organised.

Patiala, March 14
Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Punjab, will hold the first RGNUL National Moot Court Competition from March 16 to 18. Twenty-two elite law schools from around the country will participate in the competition. The moot proposition is based on complex issues of criminal law.

The university has organised competitions like “The Law Asia Moot Court Competition”, “The Commonwealth Moot Court Competition” and “The Bar Council of India Moot Court Competition”.

The competition will begin with the registration of teams on March 16.

On the next day, preliminary round I, preliminary round II, quarterfinals and semifinals will be held.

A valedictory ceremony will be held on the final day on the RGNUL campus, Sidhuwal, Bhadson road, Patiala. Justice SS Nijjar, Judge, Supreme Court of India, Justice MM Kumar, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court, and Justice Jasbir Singh, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court, will grace the occasion.

The winning team will be given a cash prize of Rs 50,000. Best memorial award, best speaker award, best researcher award, second best team and best team awards will also be given.

Punjabi singer Harbhajan Mann
being honoured at Mata Gujri College in Fatehgarh Sahib on
Wednesday. Photo by writer

Fatehgarh Sahib, March 14
Punjabi singer and actor Harbhajan Maan urged the Punjabi community particularly youths to come forward to oppose those singers and writers who sang and wrote vulgar songs.
He was addressing a gathering during the “Seventh Media Film and Photography Fest-2012” at Mata Gujri College.

Maan said youngsters should put in efforts to promote Punjabi.

Gurmeet Maan, director, Centre for Advance Media Studies, Punjabi University, Patiala, said Harbhajan Maan along with cinematographer Manmohan Singh had changed the trend of Punjabi films. He said Maan had also established healthy traditions in Punjabi singing.

Dr Jatinder Singh Sidhu, director-principal of the college, said the Sikh Media Centre and department of journalism and mass communication had organised the media fest to initiate a new trend of promoting mobile journalism.

Harbhajan Mann was honoured for his contributions towards Punjabi cinema.

Ambala, March 14
A fire broke out at a cotton factory in Manglai village near Ambala Cantt this morning. Raw material worth lakhs of rupees was gutted.
Owner of the factory, Rajesh Singla, said the raw material and machinery worth lakhs of rupees were destroyed in the fire.

He said the exact loss could not be ascertained. Three fire tenders were pressed into service. It took them two hours to douse the flames. The cause of fire is yet to be ascertained.

In another fire incident, garments worth Rs 10 lakh were gutted in a showroom at Soudagar Bazar, Ambala Cantonment. Owner of the shop Santosh Soni said he had closed his shop around 10 pm. After half an hour, someone informed him about the fire. Three fire tenders were called to douse the flames.

High drama in court

Mohali: High drama was witnessed in the court of Additional Sessions Judge AS Rai when two accused picked up a quarrel during the court proceedings. “The Judge immediately called the police and ordered it to take both of them out of the court. But we were not told to take action against the two,” said a police official.

Ambala, March 14
Ambala Grain Dealer Association president Dooni Chand Daanipur said today that the wheat procurement season would start from April 1. Daanipur said he would take up problems of dealers with market committee.

He added that the water purifier system, which had been lying defunct, would be repaired soon. He was elected association president for the 11th time today.

Chandigarh, March 14
From an MLA and his family to a peon in the health department - the list of individuals in "illegal possession" of land in and around Chandigarh was today placed by the State of Punjab before the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

A former top policeman's name also figures in the list running into nearly 400 pages. It mentions the name of MLA Jagmohan Singh Kang, his son Amninder Singh Kang, and his wife Ravinder Kaur Kang under the heading "Information with regard to land in and around the periphery of Chandigarh under illegal possession".

Based on information received through "secret department and public notice", the list also mentioned the name of Raj Kumar, working in the health department as a peon. The other names mentioned in the list include former DGP NPS Aulakh, retired IAS officers JS Kesar and Daljit Singh Dhillon, ex-MLA Balwan Singh, ex-SSP Gurcharan Singh Pherurai and DSP Mukhtiar Singh.

The officials from Chandigarh finding their way to the list are former UT DSP BD Bector and retired executive engineer with Chandigarh Housing Board Jatinder Singh.

The list, submitted along with an affidavit of Punjab Chief Secretary SC Aggarwal was placed before the Bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Mahesh Grover this afternoon.

Taking a note of the list and the affidavit, the Bench made it clear that it was in favour of setting up a commission of inquiry for looking into the matter. Issuing the directions in an open court, the Bench said it was of tentative view that the issues should be inquired into by a commission of inquiry to be appointed under the Commission of Inquiries Act.

Fixing April 23 as the next date of hearing in the case, the Bench added it would like to hear the state on the issue of appointing a commission of inquiry before passing final order.

Going into the reasons behind issuing the directions, the Bench indicated it was of the impression that the number of individual encroachers would run into "several thousands". Referring to the report, the Bench observed that a considerable number of highly placed government servants were according to the Chief Secretary not encroachers, indicating the possibility that they were purchasers of encroached properties.

Dept concerned told to pursue case

The Chief Secretary today said, "The department concerned, whose land is under unlawful occupation, has been directed to pursue these matters before the competent court vigorously for expeditious disposal".

Chandigarh, March 14
Observing that the award of medals for gallantry to defence personnel does not come under the purview of judicial review, the Armed Forces Tribunal (PIL) today dismissed a petition filed for a former Naval sailor, seeking an investigation into and amendment in the official history of the sinking of INS Khukri during the 1971 Indo-Pak war.

The tribunal Bench, comprising Justice NP Gupta and Lt-Gen HS Panag, said the petition, filed by Ropar resident Chanchal Singh Gill, had the flavour, tone and tenor of a public interest litigation (PIL) and the tribunal did not have the mandate to take up PILs.

Giving Gill an opportunity to withdraw his case, the Bench granted him the liberty of filing a fresh petition relating strictly to his personal grievance, if any, without including any extraneous issues.

One of the survivors of INS Khukri, Gill had moved the tribunal in 2010, seeking an inquiry by a judicial commission, withdrawal of gallantry awards from those who had allegedly shown cowardice, including the Commanding Officer of INS Khukri’s sister ship, INS Kirpan, and fixing responsibility for the Navy’s “huge cover-up” after the loss of INS Khukri.

The ship, according to records, was reportedly hit by an enemy torpedo on December 9, 1971, off the coast of Gujarat. Over 18 officers and 176 sailors
were lost.

INS Khukri’s Commanding Officer, Capt MN Mulla, chose not to abandon ship and went down with it. He was decorated with the Maha Vir Chakra.

Stating that the award of gallantry medals was not a “service issue”, as defined under the AFT Act, the Bench asked the petitioner’s counsel to produce or refer to any judgements on record on this issue, which he did not.

Gill’s counsel KS Bains had contended that the award of gallantry medals was an integral part of military functioning and hence, a service matter for all intents and purposes.

Chandigarh, March 14
The court of additional district and sessions judge Ved Parkash Sirohi today sentenced a 27-year-old man to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment (RI) after he was convicted of the rape of a 14-year-old Snehalaya inmate. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on Om Parkash.

The incident came to light only on August 31, 2010, when the inmate was found pregnant. The police had then arrested the 27-year-old resident of Sector 56 on charges of raping the minor. He had committed the crime in June when the girl was staying at the Bapu Dham Colony with her grandmother.

As per the prosecution, the fact that the minor had been raped came to light when she complained of uneasiness and was examined by a doctor at Snehalaya. She was referred to the GMSH, where it was confirmed that she was about three months pregnant.

Based on the girl’s statement, the police had then arrested Om Parkash in a case of rape, criminal intimidation and wrongful confinement. Preliminary investigations had revealed that the victim’s maternal grandmother had rented accommodation from the parents of the accused at Phase II of the Bapu Dham Colony.

Though the accused lived in Sector 56, he had visited the house when the victim was staying there with her grandmother. He had then raped her in the absence of her grandmother. He was married, but the couple had separated.

Panchkula, March 14
The police on Tuesday busted a cricket betting racket and nabbed one of the three bookies.
They were laying bets for their clients on the One Day International cricket match between Sri Lanka and India in Asia Cup being held at Bangladesh.

After receiving information, a police team headed by ASI Angrej Singh raided the house of Arum near a gurdwara on the Kasauli road, Kalka. However, the two other accused managed to escape.

The police added that it recovered Rs 5000, one colour television, five mobile phones and two remotes from the possession of the accused. The police has registered an FIR under the Gambling Act and under Section 420 of the IPC against the accused.

Meanwhile, the accused was produced in the court today. He was later bailed out.

Sources said the accused had made arrangements to lay bets on the match between India and Sri Lanka held in Bangladesh yesterday.

Well-organised network

The police said it was a well-organised network of bookies operating from Panchkula. The accused got directions from a “top boss” based in Mumbai on a central phone line. After receiving the directions, they passed on the information to sub-agents operating in the region. The police added that the accused had no information about their “top boss”.

Cash delivery

The accused said whosoever would win, the delivery of the winning amount would be done the next day. The winner would be told to reach a certain place to collect the money. Nobody revealed the identity of the bookie and the winner, the police officials added.

Panchkula, March 14
A two-and-a-half-year-old boy died after drowning in a bucket filled with water at his residence in Rajeev Colony here.
The child, identified as Rohit, was trying to bring out a biscuit that had fallen in the 20-litre bucket kept outside the house.

On seeing the body, 13-year-old sister of the victim, Kusum, informed her grandmother about the incident.

After hearing the shrieks of the two, neighbours gathered there and took the child to the Sector-6 general hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead. The police handed over the body to the family after an autopsy.

Rohit’s parents were not at home at the time of the incident.

Two killed in mishaps

Mohali: Two persons were killed in separate road accidents that occurred in Sohana and Kharar here today.

In the first incident, an elderly man, Ajit Singh, a resident of Sawar village, died after he was hit by a truck near the Landran bus stand.

In his complaint, Avtar Singh, deceased’s son, alleged that the the truck driver, Ramandeep Singh, was driving the vehicle recklessly. case has been registered in this connection.

In another incident, a body of a man was found along a road near Bhukri Chowk in Kharar.

The police said it seemed to be a hit-and-run case. The body has been kept at the Kharar Civil Hospital for identification.

Chandigarh, March 14
A 60-year-old man allegedly committed suicide at his shop in Manimajra here this morning. The victim, Surjit Singh, was under heavy debt, which is reported to be the reason behind his extreme step.

He was discovered hanging by his son.

In another case, Rajinder Pal, attempted suicide at his residence in Sector 39 following a scuffle with his parents.

Chandigarh, March 14
The women team of GHG Khalsa College of Education Gurusar Sadar (Ludhiana) won the Panjab University (PU) Inter-College Volleyball Tournament for Women (Division C) here today.

As only four teams participated in the tourney, the winning side defeated local outfit Government College for Education, Sector 2, without playing any league match or knock-out stage match of the competition.

An official said, “In Division C, we always witness a low turnout as only BEd colleges are eligible to participate in the competition,” said the official.

On the other hand, the runners-up team played three matches to reach the final of the category. Earlier, in the knock-out stage, Government College of Education, Sector 20, defeated Doraha College of Education 2-0 and in the second match, the team defeated Dashmesh Girls College of Education, Baddal 2-0.

“How could the organisers conduct a competition with only four teams and that too under the knock-out stage. It should be played under robin-league stage, so that each team get an equal chance to make a comeback,” said a player.

Chandigarh, March 14
The hockey team of Rajasthan will face Haryana while Delhi will lock horns with Orissa in the semifinals of the ongoing All- India Audit and Accounts General Hockey Tournament being played at the hockey stadium of sports complex, Sector 42, here today.

In the first match, the team of Rajasthan overcame Andhra Pradesh 7-0, with Ugra Singh, Abhiraj Singh and Sandeep Mathur scoring two goals each. Arvind Mathur sealed the team’s victory after scoring one goal in the dying minutes.

In the second match of the day, Delhi defeated Bengal 4-3 in a close fight. For Delhi, Amit Bakshi, Sushil Kumar, Sanjib Sharma and Vinod Yadav took the team to victory while for Bengal, Sunder Singh contributed two goals and Amit Sharma scored one goal to reduce the margin.

In another match, Orissa defeated Haryana 3-2. Daljit took the team to
victory after scoring three goals while Gurmeet scored one goal. For
Orissa, Rajendra Ekka, Vijay Swarankar and Pratap Nayak scored one goal each.

While in the last match, Tamil Nadu thrashed Gwalior 5-1. For the winning side, Naagendra was the main scorer after scoring three goals while Anban and Joseph took the tally to five goals. For Gwalior, Javed Ali scored a goal.

Chandigarh, March 14
Anurag Pandey, the ace bodybuilder, has done the city proud by clinching a silver medal in the recently held Mr Haryana Senior Bodybuilding Championship at
Ambala. Anurag Pandey (32) won the title in the 80 to 85kg weight category.

“I am very happy after wining the award. It feels good when one’s hard work pays off. I opted for the sport with a motive to remain fit,” said Pandey.

Pandey started his bodybuilding career in 1993. “I won the title of Mr Shimla in in 1999 and since then, there has been no looking back,” said Pandey.

He added, “In 2006, I took a no objection certificate and moved to Haryana. I have participated in many competitions and won about 75 to 80 championships. Hopefully, I will continue with the sport and achieve more laurels,” said Anurag.

The bodybuilder also won the champions of champions’ trophy to feature on the list of top 10 bodybuilders of the nation. Presently, he is working in a local fitness centre and also providing his facilities to Dr AS Bindra, father of Abhinav Bindra.

“I also train people so that they can remain fit. One can remain healthy by exercising,” said Anurag.

Talking on steroids, he added, “Steroids help shape up one’s body quickly but these are also harmful. One should exercise properly in order to shape up the body. In addition, good water intake and nutritious diet are also vital to increase skills.”

Chandigarh, March 14
Around 700 college students participated in the 6th annual athletics meet of Chitkara University. During the competition 20 track and field events were
organised. Athlete Opurum Constance of Computer Applications department was declared as the fastest and the best athlete in women’s category while Satwinder Singh of mechanical engineering department bagged the best athlete in men’s
category.

Avin Sethi of mechanical engineering department was declared as the fastest athlete in men’s group. In other events, the mechanical engineering department won the tug of war competition.

Chandigarh, March 14
The Baba Kahan Das Club from Kala Sanghian won the first season of Shaan-e-Punjab Kabaddi Cup held in various parts of Punjab.

The Intra-State Kabaddi Cup Tournament was organised by the Idea cellular Company in association with the Punjab sports department and a total of 300 teams, including Begowal, Kalanour, Bhawanigarh, Rahon, Mullapur and Guru Harsahai participated in the competition.